Work vehicles and particularly vehicles of a substantial size, for example, material handling vehicles, earthworking vehicles, log handling vehicles, and the like have an operator's station mounted thereon which is located a substantial distance from the underlying surface which supports the vehicle. This tends to make transportation and shipping of the vehicle extremely difficult due to overhead clearance limitations on ships as well as along highways. Such operator stations usually have an overhead guard or cab which increases the overall height of the vehicle and makes it even more difficult to be shipped or transported. In order to ship such a vehicle, it is necessary that the operator's station be removed from the vehicle and transported separately from the vehicle. As a result, the potential for damage to and misplacement of the operator's station is extremely high.
The operator's station also includes selecting devices which are actuatable by the vehicle for controlling operation of the vehicle as well as the work implement mounted on the vehicle. Such selecting devices usually includes vehicle steering, brake, accelerator, direction and transmission selectors mounted within the confines of the cab of the operator's station. These selecting devices are each connected to associated controllable components of the vehicle, for example, steering control valve, disc brake actuator, engine governor and transmission control valves, by directing devices such as, fluid conduits, electrical wires, mechanical linkages, cables, and the like. When the operator's station is removed from the vehicle, the conduits, wires, cables, linkages and like must be disconnected. As a result, the vehicle is no longer drivable and must be towed, pushed, or lifted for placement purposes on the chosen type of transportation device. Such vehicles often weigh many tons and are of such an enormous size that any movement of the vehicle is extremely difficult and requires many hours of concentrated effort on the part of those involved in transportation by ocean going vessel, towed trailer, and railroad.
In addition to the above, disconnection of the hydraulic lines, electrical conductors, linkages, and cables creates additional problems and expense. Disconnection of the hydraulic lines often results in spillage of hydraulic fluid, a condition that should be avoided if at all possible. The disconnection of the electrical conductors, linkages and cables requires a lashing down to prevent inadvertent movement during transport. This not only takes time but often results in bending and breakage of the conduits, conductors, cables and linkage which ultimately results in the need for replacement. It is therefore advantageous to eliminate the need for disconnecting these directing devices from one or both of the controllable components and selecting devices.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.